Richard Durbin was one of the 14 self-identified Catholic senators who voted against cloture for the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Act Jan. 29.

CNA/EWTN News

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — Bishop Thomas Paprocki of Springfield, Illinois, has reiterated that U.S. Sen. Richard Durbin should not receive Holy Communion due to the Catholic lawmaker’s support for abortion, including a recent procedural vote against a bill that would bar abortion after 20 weeks into pregnancy.

“Sen. Durbin was once pro-life. I sincerely pray that he will repent and return to being pro-life,” Bishop Paprocki said Thursday. “Because his voting record in support of abortion over many years constitutes ‘obstinate persistence in manifest grave sin,’ the determination continues that Sen. Durbin is not to be admitted to Holy Communion until he repents of this sin. This provision is intended not to punish, but to bring about a change of heart.”

Bishop Paprocki’s statement cited U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Committee on Pro-Life Activities Chairman Cardinal Timothy Dolan, who said it was “appalling” that the Senate failed to pass the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Act.

The Springfield bishop, in whose diocese Durbin resides, cited statements of previous priests and bishops of Springfield regarding the Democratic senator’s support for legal abortion. In April 2004, his pastor, Msgr. Kevin Vann, who is now bishop of Orange, California, said he would be reluctant to give Holy Communion to the senator because of his lack of unity with the Church’s teaching on life.

Then-Bishop of Springfield George Lucas, who now heads the Archdiocese of Omaha, Nebraska, said he would support that decision.

“I have continued that position,” Bishop Paprocki said.

The Springfield bishop cited Canon 915 of the Code of Canon Law, which says those who are “obstinately persevering in manifest grave sin are not to be admitted to Holy Communion.”

He also cited the U.S. bishops’ 2004 statement on “Catholics in Political Life,” which said failing to protect the lives of the innocent and defenseless is “to sin against justice.”

“Those who formulate law therefore have an obligation in conscience to work toward correcting morally defective laws, lest they be guilty of cooperating in evil and in sinning against the common good,” the U.S. bishops’ statement said.

Backers of the bill which Durbin voted against said that fetal neural development means the unborn child can feel pain at 20 weeks into pregnancy. The bill included exceptions for an abortion in the case of rape or incest, as well as in circumstances in which the pregnancy threatened the life of the mother. Twenty-one U.S. states have laws barring abortion after 20 weeks.

The federal bill, which was passed by the House of Representatives in October 2017, is opposed by most Senate Democrats. To prevent a filibuster, Republicans needed Democratic support to reach 60 votes, in addition to the votes of the 51 Republican senators.

In France, Italy and Germany, abortion is illegal after 12 weeks of pregnancy. The United States, China, North Korea, Canada, the Netherlands, Singapore and Vietnam are the seven countries that permit elective abortions after 20 weeks.

Posted by John Minck on Thursday, Mar, 1, 2018 2:17 AM (EST):
Mark,
I forgot to note that at 87, I am NOT your honey! Nor is it non sequitur, you are asking all those 14 “Catholic” politicians to vote your theology. I’d say as Catholics, they are entitled to voting their conscience. I don’t believe they take an oath to God when they swear to uphold the Constitution.
At 87 then you should know better. Once again. The Catholic Church is pro life, durbin isn’t. So durbin can leave the Catholic Church and “uphold” the US Constitution and vote his “conscience”. Get it yet ? Non sequitur it is. BTW honey it is not my “theology”. You really need to do some review of Catholic Moral Teachings. And what you “say” really is irrelevant. It is Catholic Teaching that is relevant. 87 or not.

Posted by John Minck on Thursday, Mar, 1, 2018 11:13 PM (EDT):

Donald,

From my mid-life, I have rejected the Church, and went agnostic, and was comfortable with that philosophy. But the Paine book, Age of Reason, cemented my thinking, and confirmed the reality that the doctrine is all made up. Man needs to Create his gods, think Stonehenge, the Aztecs, and all the Roman and Greek gods of antiquity.
Now I am very comfortable with my denouement, and your concern is frankly, wasted. When I write letters to challenge zealots on some flawed theology, I have often received 5-page tutorials to save my soul. Well meaning people I admit. I am amused by the hosts and callers-in to programs like EWTN, the advice is almost humorous and although the hosts make it sound like they KNOW what Jesus wants the caller to do, they’re making it up.

Posted by Donald Link on Thursday, Mar, 1, 2018 11:53 AM (EDT):

John: They do take an oath to God when swearing to uphold the constitution but that aside, those who believe in “Nature’s God” or no god are still bound in conscience by natural law. Natural law does not permit the killing of the innocent. Nat Hentoff, the very progressive atheist columnist was fully on board with that even though castigated for it by his fellow leftists. NB: At age 87 you may wish to consider things that matter quite carefully.

Posted by John Minck on Thursday, Mar, 1, 2018 3:17 AM (EDT):

Mark,

I forgot to note that at 87, I am NOT your honey! Nor is it non sequitur, you are asking all those 14 “Catholic” politicians to vote your theology. I’d say as Catholics, they are entitled to voting their conscience. I don’t believe they take an oath to God when they swear to uphold the Constitution.

Posted by John Minck on Thursday, Mar, 1, 2018 3:11 AM (EDT):

Mark,

I interpret “Nature’s God” of the Declaration to be the cosmic God that Thomas Paine refers to in his book, The Age of Reason, written in 1794. He called your God a “revealed” God. Many of the signers and Founders were Deists, like Paine.

The cosmic God didn’t establish an institutional and industrialized Church, nor did he write any Commandments.

Posted by Mark on Wednesday, Feb, 28, 2018 6:43 PM (EDT):

Posted by John Minck on Wednesday, Feb, 28, 2018 1:17 AM (EST):
This looks surprisingly like a Christian version of Sharia Law to me.
I think it was Senator Rick Santorum who said, (paraphrasing)
“... a country that is given rights under the god, under god, not any god, the God of Abraham, Issac and Jacob, and that God that gave us rights also gave us a responsibility, and laws, by which our civil laws have to comport with. A higher law. God’s law.”
Our Constitution does speak to not establishing a national religion.
non sequitur honey.
The Catholic Church is only speaking to this pagan durbin endorsing elective abortion and calling himself a Catholic. durbin can leave the Catholic faith is he so chooses. Really has nothing to do with the US Constitution.
BTW Santorum is right. Judeo Christian values are at the heart of the USA.
Declaration of independence:
1.When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.
2.We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.
3.We, therefore, the Representatives of the United States of America, in General Congress Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by the Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare, That these United Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States;
4.And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor.
Now let me know if you can figure out why God what not mentioned in The Constitution? Do some homework.

Posted by cthlc12345 on Wednesday, Feb, 28, 2018 6:34 PM (EDT):

Then Dick Durbin and the others should not call themselves Catholic.

Posted by John Minck on Wednesday, Feb, 28, 2018 2:17 AM (EDT):

This looks surprisingly like a Christian version of Sharia Law to me.

I think it was Senator Rick Santorum who said, (paraphrasing)

“... a country that is given rights under the god, under god, not any god, the God of Abraham, Issac and Jacob, and that God that gave us rights also gave us a responsibility, and laws, by which our civil laws have to comport with. A higher law. God’s law.”

Our Constitution does speak to not establishing a national religion.

Posted by Theresa Geraghty on Wednesday, Feb, 28, 2018 1:00 AM (EDT):

Well done, Bishop! It’s too bad other Bishops haven’t done the same.

Posted by sue mitchell on Tuesday, Feb, 27, 2018 10:48 PM (EDT):

FINALLY!If these comments had a like button I would hit it for all. I haven’t understood why none of the hierarchy were verbalizing any displeasure let alone censure, for years now. Many have been quite verbal about the dreamers and illegal immigrants, but total silence about the neediest of all.

Posted by Janet on Tuesday, Feb, 27, 2018 10:14 PM (EDT):

SHAMEFUL—Cardinal Dolan, who is a very affable man, might want to inform his priest of this same message, because one of his parish’s pastor congratulated a pro-abortion politician on his recent election from the pulpit and encouraged the congregation to applaud the same, again from the pulpit. This was a reversal of the two previous pastors. If I was in that church when the pastor congratulated a pro-abortion politician I hope that I would have stood up and asked this “paator” if he is “CRAZY” and abruptly walked out!!

Posted by Brian C on Tuesday, Feb, 27, 2018 10:10 PM (EDT):

I wonder if Democrats Casey, Manchin and Donnelly would have supported the motion if they didn’t know it was doomed to fail.

Posted by Vince on Tuesday, Feb, 27, 2018 7:22 PM (EDT):

Congratulations Bishop!
Now the time is long overdue for the other bishops to speak out against al these other so-called Catholics. Or are the afraid to lose the donations?

Posted by Donald Link on Tuesday, Feb, 27, 2018 6:34 PM (EDT):

Seems Bishop Paprocki has more spine than most of the other worthies who spend their time bewailing the conditions of illegals and prattling on about “social justice”. I would think the rest of our Bishops could at least condemn the action of our wayward Catholic politicians, if not by name, at least by identifiable position.

Posted by Denise tonry on Tuesday, Feb, 27, 2018 5:29 PM (EDT):

Finally a bishop speaks out and great for him, I am tired of hearing of Congressmen saying “while I am catholic but I don,t impose my views on others” especially that Nancy Pelosi. Obviously they are not Catholic. More bishops should do the same.

Posted by tom on Tuesday, Feb, 27, 2018 4:46 PM (EDT):

Bishop Paprocki for Pope!!! Cardinal Dolan, who is a very affable man, might want to inform his priest of this same message, because one of his parish’s pastor congratulated a pro-abortion politician on his recent election from the pulpit and encouraged the congregation to applaud the same, again from the pulpit. This was a reversal of the two previous pastors, who had informed the pro-abort politician he was not to present himself to partake in Holy Communion. To the politician’s credit he obeyed this interdict for many years! How unfortunate he now feels his pro-abortion stance is compatible with his Catholic Faith, and even more regrettable that a Catholic priest, the hard work already done for him, cowardly reversed the just decisions of his predecessors.

Posted by Doug on Tuesday, Feb, 27, 2018 2:16 PM (EDT):

Bravo for Bishop Paprocki. This act of public moral action will now force (at least mentally) the hand of fellow Bishops to react and choose sides, and in doing so to expose their true moral core. This includes the many weak minded do nothing Bishops who no longer will be able to hide behind a cloak of silence. For these Bishops they will now be forced to realize that by their decision to continue to remain silent in the face of sinfulness, they themselves become a likeminded sinner.

Posted by Janet on Monday, Feb, 26, 2018 11:14 PM (EDT):

God bless you, Bishop Paprocki. Your stating: “Because his voting record in support of abortion over many years constitutes ‘obstinate persistence in manifest grave sin,’ the determination continues that Sen. Durbin is not to be admitted to Holy Communion until he repents of this sin. This provision is intended not to punish, but to bring about a change of heart.” is what all Catholic bishops should be declaring, but do not. Nancy Pelosi, did you hear this?

Congratulations Bishop Paprocki! We were beginning to think there were no more “warriors for Christ left among the Bishops!

Posted by JOHN GRONDELSKI on Monday, Feb, 26, 2018 4:22 PM (EDT):

Would that we had some Bishop Paprockis in 1973, when it was time to address Justice William Brennan, Congressman Peter Rodino, Senator Ted Kennedy, and others who solidified the cancer of Roe v. Wade in the law of the land.

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